It Happened at Lauren Mallory's
by Jennrosee
Summary: A keg party at Lauren Mallory's house leads to a random yet intertwining series of events, seen in the point of view of ten different characters. Rated M for underage drinking, smoking, marijuana use. Multi-character POVs. AH.
1. Bella

***Bella***

A dim glow lights my living room as I flip through the channels on TV. It's all I can do just to push the button on the remote. I have no energy anymore. I have no desire to even move anymore. So I sit here, on the couch, in the dark, with a blanket wrapped around me, trying to provide me some sort of comfort, comfort that does not make up for the comfort that I've lost.

The comfort that skanky bitch stole from me.

Tanya.

The whore.

And I was such a fool, such a fool to think I could ever compare to her – blonde hair, big boobs, and that damn high-pitch giggle.

" _Oh, Edward_ ," giggle, giggle. " _You're so funny_ ," giggle, giggle.

What-freaking-ever.

If she was here right now, I'd shove this remote down her throat. Giggle through _that_ , bitch.

"What did the remote ever do to you, huh?"

Alice. When did she come in?

She pries my fingers from around the remote, apparently I'm holding it a bit too tightly now, and sits down next to me. Jasper follows behind her and sits in my dad's old recliner. "Ooh, wrestling. Good choice," he says, staring at the TV.

Alice sighs and quickly changes the channel. "I don't think violent programs are the best entertainment at the moment."

Really? Because I think they are. I really need to learn how to put somebody in a choke hold.

"Why aren't you dressed? I told you to be ready by 10:30."

"Alice, how many times do I have to say it? I don't want to go to a party tonight."

"Bella, you can't just sit around feeling sorry for yourself all the time. You have to get out there and show him he hasn't hurt you, show her she hasn't broken you, show them they didn't win."

And I agree with Alice because that sounds like a fabulous idea, absolutely remarkable, except for one thing. They did.

I curl up into a ball in my blanket and lay sideways on the couch, wishing it would just swallow me up whole. Alice slides closer to me, then drapes herself over my body, hugging me the way a best friend would. The tears are starting now, then the sniffles, and soon enough, there's a wet patch forming on the couch.

"That is so hot. Move over, Alice, I want to be in the middle." Jasper leaps on top of the two of us, and the next thing I know, the entire couch is rocking. "Come on, Swan, come to the party. I'll even let you wear my cowboy hat. Alice doesn't even get that privilege."

"Jasper, get off!" Alice yells.

"Oh, you know I will, baby!"

The rough fabric of the couch rubs against my cheek, and I feel myself starting to get rug burn. I already look bad enough. I don't need a facial rash to add to it. "All right, all right, I'll go. But for the love of sweet baby Jesus, Jasper, please stop humping me!"

We pull up to the house, and my stomach turns. Cars pack the street, and it's like the entire school has shown up. I step out of the car but hesitate for a moment, reconsidering whether or not I really want to deal with this tonight, when Jasper comes up beside me and places his cowboy hat on my head with a smile. "Not even Alice gets to wear it," he says.

I turn, take it off, and hand it back to him. "I appreciate it, Jasper, but I really don't want to draw any more attention to myself tonight."

He fakes a hurt look and puts it back on his head. "Huh, well, you just lost the privilege, Swan. Don't expect to ever get _that_ opportunity again."

A smile creeps into the corner of his mouth, and he gives me a friendly hip bump before heading toward the front door. Alice takes my hand, and we follow. "Come on. It'll be okay."

A pile of jackets sits on the floor in the corner by the stairs, and Alice and Jasper throw theirs in with the rest. I leave mine on and pull it even tighter around me.

"Well, ladies, shall we get a drink?" Jasper asks.

I glance through the living room and see a group of people hanging out around a keg in the kitchen. I really don't want to have to be social with anyone tonight, so I pull away from Alice and Jasper. "I think I'll just wait here. You guys go. Have fun."

Alice shakes her head at me in disapproval. "Fine, but we're grabbing some beers and coming right back. I'm not leaving you to stew alone all night."

They head toward the kitchen, and I hang back by the empty dining room behind the stairs, just watching as more and more people walk into the house, preparing myself to make a run for it if Edward or Tanya show up.

The door swings open again, and I'm slightly surprised when Edward's younger sister walks in with a boyfriend. I like her. She's a good kid, a bit boy crazy, but what fifteen-year-old girl isn't? Edward wouldn't be happy to know she was here, but his lack of consideration toward me lately makes me not really give two craps what he thinks, so I pretend not to notice her.

I hear a loud commotion coming from the kitchen and realize it's been a few minutes since Alice and Jasper left to get drinks. I can't help but wonder if they've forgotten about me now, too. I begin to feel a little self-conscious just standing here by myself, and I quickly consider my options. The door is right in front of me. I could leave and no one would even notice. Or I could stand here alone and miserable all night, watching everyone have fun. Or I could do what Alice suggested, join the party and at the very least try to make everyone think I'm all right, that I'm having fun. Maybe that information will get back to Edward and Tanya, and they'll think they failed at trying to hurt me, even though they'd actually succeeded.

I take a deep breath and push myself out into the crowd. As I wander through Lauren's house, I notice the looks of pity people are shooting at me, some are people I don't even know, but by now everyone has heard, and they know what I know, what I knew all along - I'm not good enough for Edward Cullen.

"What's up, Bella?"

I hear the familiar voice from behind me. I turn, and he looks at me eagerly, like always.

I force a smile. "Hi, Mike."

"You look lost. Can I get you a drink or anything?"

"No, I don't really want anything. Thanks though."

"Okay, but if you change your mind..."

I nod and quickly try to walk away before things get too awkward. Mike's always been overly nice to me. I've never been sure if it's just because he wants us to be friends or if he has other feelings about me, but he and Edward are good friends, and following recent events, it's not so apparent where anyone's loyalties might lie anymore.

I turn, but he lightly reaches for my arm before I can get far. "Bella, Edward's an idiot." He smiles at me. I can see he's trying to be reassuring, so I smile back, a little more genuine this time.

"Thanks, Mike."

He nods and heads off, back to his group of friends.

I continue my pace through the house until I find an empty corner in the living room. I lean against the wall, taking in the activity that surrounds me when Jasper and Alice finally come back from the kitchen. Jasper hands me a red plastic cup, and I take it, not because I want to drink, but just to have something to hold onto, something to make my hands not feel so empty anymore.

"Sorry we took so long. Some jackasses were doing keg stands," Alice huffs and shoots Jasper an annoyed glare.

Jasper shrugs. "What? It's a party! God forbid anyone has fun." Then a smile spreads across his face and he looks at me. "Swan, you should do one!"

I look at him, unsure of what he's talking about. "Do what?"

"A keg stand!"

"Oh, hell no!" I shake my head at him.

"Come on, it'll be fun!"

"I'll get dropped!"

"No you won't! You're so tiny, I could hold you up with my pinky."

I can't help but laugh at the absurdity of his suggestion. It feels good to laugh again. "Uh uh, no way, Jasper!"

I try to back away, but he grabs my hand, and before I know it, I'm in the kitchen, surrounded by a bunch of drunk high school boys and Alice.

"You don't have to do this, you know?" she says, but I can tell on her face she wants me to do it just as much as Jasper does.

Just as much as I do.

I step up to the keg and look at Jasper. "So, what do I do?"

"Hell yeah! Hey, Emmett, we got a taker here," Jasper says to a big guy who seems to be guarding the keg.

The big guy looks at me and gives me what seems like a nod of approval.

"Just hold on to the keg," Jasper says. "I'll hold your legs up, and Emmett will hold the tap. When you've had enough, just give us a sign of some sort."

"Don't drop me."

"I promise I won't drop ya, darlin."

I nod and grab onto the keg, and without warning I'm completely upside down, my legs straight up in the air, my shirt threatening to reveal a bit too much, and my hair falling into the spilt beer all around me. Alice quickly adjusts my shirt then gathers up my hair and ties it back for me.

"Thanks, Alice."

"Mmm hmm."

"All right, Swan, you ready?

I take a deep breath and answer. "I'm ready."

The big guy puts the tap into my mouth, and I wonder for a second how many germs I've probably just ingested before he pushes down on the lever.

Ice cold beer begins to fill my mouth, and once I can't hold anymore in, my swallowing reflex seems to take over on its own. All of the blood is rushing to my head, and I'm starting to get a brain freeze, but everyone is cheering me on now, and I continue to chug for as long as possible. I want to show these boys, show everyone what I'm made of. This is probably not the best way to do it, but I have to admit it's pretty fun.

Finally, my stomach feels like it can't hold any more liquid, and I shake my head. Immediately the flow of beer stops, and I gasp to catch my breath. The big guy reaches around me, and I'm turned upright on my feet again.

"My God, Swan! Like a champ!" Jasper congratulates me on my newfound ability and puts his cowboy hat back onto my head. "Guess I spoke too soon."

I'm covered in beer. It's all over my clothes, my hands, my face, and in my hair. It's sloshing around in my stomach and freezing my brain, and I'm starting to get dizzy as the blood is rushing back down from my head.

I feel completely giddy, and I can't stop laughing.

Until I turn around and see Edward, his face void of any emotion, staring at me.


	2. Esme

**~Esme~**

"What kind of parent names their kid Esme?" I shout over the pounding music that's shaking the house of, well, whoever's house we're in. I seem to have forgotten. "Seriously, I was born in the 1998, not the 1800s." I know my words are slurring together, proof that the three beers I've had so far are getting to my head, but I bring the red, plastic cup up to my lips and take another swig anyway. Not that I've spent much of my high school career at parties like these; this is, in fact, my first, but Rosalie convinced me to take a study break and come with her for once.

I continue my drunken rant. "I mean…Esme. It's not a name, it's a noise – a noise someone makes when they've got, like, the flu or asthma or something. _Ezzzmeee_."

I look at Rosalie, and she chuckles. "You are so drunk."

"It's your fault. You brought me here. Bitch."

"Oh, you're feisty! I'm gonna get you drunk more often. I like this non-repressed side of Esme."

"I am not repressed," I argue. "I'm responsible, and mature, and –" I feel myself sinking deeper and deeper into the couch cushions. "Are we moving?"

Rosalie falls over on her side in a fit of laughter. "We've only been here an hour, and I'm already cutting you off," she says, yanking the red cup out of my hand and chugging the rest down herself.

I pout, and she just shakes her head at me. "Trust me, you'll thank me tomorrow."

I doubt it.

I glance around at the rest of the crowd that has gathered in the hazy living room – some are talking, some are standing in circles, passing around what I can only assume is a joint. Another group plays some sort of drinking game, throwing ping pong balls into plastic cups.

A boy I recognize from school rushes in from the back. I can't quite place him, but I think he's a sophomore. He has long, dark hair that looks really shiny and soft. I want to ask him what kind of conditioner he uses. My body doesn't want to get up though. I decide to ask him later.

The couch sinks in deeper, and I turn to see Emmett has joined us, wrapping an arm around Rosalie. Rosalie smiles and I know I've lost her for the rest of the night now. It always happens when Emmett shows up. I can't blame her though. He's cute and funny. Any girl would fall for a boy like him. Any girl except for me. I'm in love with another boy – Carlisle Cullen.

Carlisle doesn't know I exist though. I'm the smart one, the straight A student, the nerd. The one that gets called on when nobody else knows the answer. The only one that actually reads the next chapter before class. Carlisle is popular. He has tons of friends and the prettiest girls in school are always hanging all over him. Why _would_ he notice me?

He sits in front of me in history, but aside from asking me to borrow a pencil once, he's never said a word to me. I have a wonderful view of the back of his head, though. In fact, I've memorized every strand of his blond hair, and he has a cowlick right in the center – a small patch that sticks up instead of down like the rest of his hair. It's always there, every day. Even when he rubs his hand across the back of his head when he gets frustrated during a test, it just pops right back up. I wonder if he knows it's there.

I continue watching those around me. They're probably wondering what I'm doing at this party, considering it's not my usual social activity. One boy even points a finger at me and smiles, almost approvingly.

I feel a nudge on my shoulder and turn to Rosalie, who says something to me I can't quite fully comprehend. A cacophony of sounds and voices now echo around me, so I just nod my head. Emmett says something, too, then laughs.

I turn back toward the crowd and see that the boy with the long hair is now arguing with a red-headed boy I recognize from class. A scantily-clad girl stands between them. They seem to be fighting over her. She looks pretty annoyed with the red-headed boy, but his demeanor appears more protective than jealous. In the background, another girl observes them from a distance, stiff with her arms crossed over her chest. All are familiar. I know I should know their names, but I seem to have forgotten even who _I_ am at the moment. I'm guessing it's the beer, and maybe even a contact high from all of the smoke that's lingering in the air around me.

"Where's the bathroom?" I shout to Rosalie after realizing I have to pee.

"Upstairs, I think." She shrugs, and I push myself up from the couch.

Unsteady, I somehow make it through the crowd of people and to the stairs when I hear my name called above me.

"Esme?"

I look up and see my next-door neighbor, Seth, headed down the stairs, his arms held open in front of him. When he gets to the bottom, he pulls me into a hug then dips me backward, making all of the alcohol rush to my head. I steady myself against him as he pulls me back up.

"Whoa, sorry, Es. Are you drunk?" He laughs.

"Perhaps, a little."

"Never thought I'd see that, or for that matter, see you at a party."

"Hey, kid." I know I'm definitely slurring now. "You shouldn't be here either. A sophomore at a senior party! You're parents are going to kill you."

He shakes his head. "Naw, they don't even know I'm here. Besides, I only came because Vanessa wanted to."

I think I recall seeing her at some point during the night, but everything's a fog now, and I can't really remember. "Oh, where is she now?"

"Off trying to be cool somewhere." Seth shrugs but then smiles. "No matter, though. There's plenty of eye-candy here for me to stare at," he says, wiggling his eyebrows.

I laugh. "Okay, well, I really have to go," I point up the stairs, indicating my intention, "but if you get tired of staring at people, come hang out with us. Rosalie and Emmett won't mind. They probably won't even notice."

He nods, and I make my way up the stairs, gripping the rail with each step. Reaching the top, I see there's a line of four people ahead of me. I lean up against the wall in the hallway as I wait.

Time is starting to do some funny things now. The line seems to move fast, but when I finally get into the bathroom, everything starts moving really slowly. I feel like I'm peeing forever. Surely, someone's going to start yelling at me to hurry up soon.

Finally, I'm out of the bathroom and about to make my way back down the stairs when I see him – Carlisle. He's standing at the front door, talking to a couple of girls. I know I have zero chance with him, so I push him out of my mind and slowly step down the stairs. The earth seems to be getting even more unstable beneath my feet, so I focus all of my attention on making sure my footing is secure on each step before attempting the next. I reach the last two steps when suddenly I feel a push from behind me. My feet come out from under me, and I begin to fall forward until a set of warm, strong arms wrap around me and keep me from hitting the ground. I look up and see the blond hair I'm so familiar with.

"Hey, Esme. Are you all right? Some people really need to watch where they're going," he says over my shoulder to whoever ran into me.

I hear someone mumble a "sorry" behind me, but I can't pay any attention to that because Carlisle knows my name. He said it. He said "Esme." He actually knows I exist.

For the second time tonight, the earth disappears from under my feet. The butterflies flutter with excitement in my stomach.

And I throw up on his shoes.


	3. Jasper

Thank you for the reviews! I can't respond to them individually for some reason, but I appreciate them!

* * *

 **Jasper**

Bella thrusts my cowboy hat into my chest and storms out of the kitchen. Edward hurries after her.

"I _told_ you not to tell him!" Alice glares at me, and I know she's pissed.

"I didn't!"

"You did! You told him we were here."

I think back to my quick phone conversation with Edward right after I'd done my keg stand – the sudden rush of alcohol definitely impairing my decision-making ability at the time. "Okay, yes, I did, but I also specifically told him not to come here. I can't control what he does."

Alice sighs. "Well, what the hell do we do now? This is going to kill her, Jasper."

" _We_ don't do anything. This isn't our fight." I shrug.

"She's my best friend! I can't just leave her to get her heart stomped on a second time by him."

I pull Alice into my arms and hug her close to me, trying to calm her. "Bella is very lucky to have a friend like you who cares about her so much, but you have to let her deal with this on her own. It's the only way she'll be able to get through it."

More people begin filling the kitchen now, drawn in from all the cheering and commotion, anxious to watch and do their own keg stands. Emmett shakes his head and grumbles to himself.

"Sorry, man," I offer, apologizing for my role in the mayhem.

"Not your fault. I'm going to kick Paul's ass, though."

"What the fuck did _I_ do?" Paul asks, attempting to play innocent. I laugh, knowing full well it had all been his idea in the first place.

"Come on, let's get out of this crowd." I lead Alice back into the living room where Bella stands against a wall near the fireplace, arms across her chest. Alice immediately rushes over to her and pushes Edward away. Then she nods her head in Edward's direction, silently pleading to me to get him out of here.

"Hey, man, what's up? Wanna get a drink? Let's get a drink." I suggest, trying to lead Edward back into the kitchen.

"I don't want a drink. I want to talk to Bella."

"Man, you're upsetting Bella."

"Me? I'm…I'm _upsetting_ Bella? Really, Jasper? Because it looks like she's enjoying herself just fine. She obviously doesn't need me to have fun. I suppose I don't need to ask who convinced her to do the keg stand." He looks at me accusingly.

"First of all, no one convinced her to do anything. I suggested it as a joke – I never thought she'd actually do it. And secondly, in case you hadn't noticed here or in school, or just in general, she's fucking miserable!"

Suddenly, Bella pulls away from Alice, pushes past us, through the crowd of people, and rushes out the front door. I grab onto Edward's arm, but he pulls out of my grip and follows after her.

I see Alice about to follow them, and I reach out to stop her. "Just let 'em go."

She sighs in frustration but nods, finally accepting that this is the one thing she can't fix for Bella.

"Why don't we get out of here, huh? This party's kinda lame, anyway. Text Bella – let her know we're leaving and to meet us at the car if she wants to go too. If her ride's leaving, that'll give her an out to get away from Edward."

Alice smiles and pulls my face down to hers, pecking me on the lips. "Good call, Whitlock. I knew I liked you for a reason."

"Well, thanks, darlin'! But before we leave, I really gotta piss. Be right back."

Alice's smile turns into a scowl, and she wrinkles her nose at me – her "disgust at my lack of manners" look and pushes me away. "Ugh, never mind. You're a pig. I don't know what I ever saw in you."

I laugh, kiss her forehead, and head upstairs to find a line for the bathroom. Two girls come out, giggling, and two more go in. Great, this is gonna take forever. I consider the bushes outside, but if Alice found out, she'd skin me alive. Christ, am I pussy whipped! The boys back home would have themselves a fuckin' field day with this shit.

Ten excruciatingly painful minutes later, I finally make my way out of the bathroom and back down the stairs when I see James, the bane of my existence for the last year since I'd moved to this town, with his grubby paws all over Alice. The thumping music makes it difficult to hear the conversation, but she clearly does not want him near her and, in all her tiny fury, futilely tries to fight him off. I push my way through the growing crowd of people in the living room, feeling like I'm moving in slow motion the whole time.

" _Get off me, James!"_

"You heard the lady. She said back off." I yank him away from Alice by his shoulder, and he stumbles a bit, obviously intoxicated, before regaining his balance.

He turns to me and smirks. "What are you going to do about it, redneck? I had her before you came along. I'm just reclaiming what's mine."

"Eww, _gross_!" Alice shrieks. "Reclaiming what's yours? What year do you live in? You do realize this is why no girls want to date you, right? You're such a douche." She huffs and crosses her arms. "And you need a haircut."

"Please!" James scoffs. "The only douche I see is the one wearing a cowboy hat and boots in northern Washington. Why don't you go back to where you came from, hillbilly?" he says, now stepping up into my face. "I'm sure you have a cousin or two you can marry."

I laugh, not surprised at his lame choice of insults. "That all ya got? Inbreeding jokes? Like I never heard those before. Tell ya what, Jimmy boy, I'm gonna give you a little time to sober up and think of something a bit more original, and as soon as you do, I'll be ready to hear it. But until then, stay the hell away from Alice and get the fuck out of my face."

"Yeah, go suck it, James," Alice orders, shoving her way in between us, the top of her head only reaching us mid-chest.

"Nobody asked for your opinion, nosy bitch." James pushes Alice away, nearly knocking her down in the process, the back of a living room chair the only thing keeping her from falling.

"That is _not_ how you treat a lady!" With one solid swing, my fist makes contact with James' jaw, and he stumbles backward, this time unable to regain his balance. He continues to stumble until, finally, the back of his head hits the fireplace mantle and he slumps to the floor. A couple of framed family portraits and a fancy, ceramic vase land in his lap, and as he picks up the bottom of the vase, a mound of gray dust spills out and begins to float up into in the air around him.

A round of laughter can now be heard over the music, and Alice shrieks, covering her mouth and nose with her hands. "Oh, my God! That's not…"

I nod my head and cringe. "Grampa Mallory."


	4. Vanessa

**Vanessa**

"You're not _Dad!_ You can't order me around!"

"The hell I can't! You're a sophomore! You have no business at a senior party!"

I cross my arms over my chest and look up at my older brother, who hovers over me. He always tries to use his height to his advantage, to intimidate me I guess, but what he doesn't know is that this little trick of his hasn't worked for years. "You're just scared you won't be cool anymore if your little sister starts showing up at parties with you."

"I swear to God, Vanessa, if I see you anywhere near that party, I will physically drag your ass back home."

"Oh, go suck it, Edward!" I slam my bedroom door in his face and immediately start rummaging through my closet, looking for the hottest outfit I can find. I throw a few possible options on my bed and then wait until I hear Edward's car start up and pull out of the garage.

Once I'm certain he's gone, I rush downstairs, throw open the front door, and am quickly engulfed in a hug by my best friend. Seth's not very tall, standing at the same height as I do, but he dips me back, his usual greeting for those he likes the best, and pulls me back to my feet. "So, that didn't sound like it went well," he says.

I sigh. "Yeah, well that's just Edward. He's been such an ass lately. Forget about him. Come on," I say, grabbing Seth's hand and pulling him up the stairs. "I need your help. We totally have to put together the hottest outfit we can find."

We walk into my room, and Seth flings himself onto my bed, holding up a purple, low-cut top that is one of my options for the night. "Still trying to impress him, I see."

"I'm not trying to impress anyone," I say, my hands on my hips as I study my collection of shoes.

"Mmm hmm, if you say so." He flings the shirt at me, and I catch it as it flies toward my head.

"You're just jealous," I tease.

"Jealous of what?"

"That you're not Jake's type."

"Oh, what _ever_!" Seth huffs. "Would I like to run my fingers through those luscious locks of his? Yes, I won't deny that, but otherwise, no way. He's tries way too hard to be the bad boy type for my tastes."

I try on a variety of outfits for close to an hour before Seth and I finally come to agreement on one – a tight, short black skirt; the low-cut, purple top that Seth says complements my red hair; and a pair of knee-high, black leather boots. In all honesty, I know Seth doesn't actually approve of the outfit. He's just tired of waiting for me.

"You look like a trollop," he says to my reflection as I look myself over in the mirror.

"Have you seen the girls Jake dates? He likes trollops."

"No. Jake wants people to _think_ he dates trollops. The only action he's probably ever gotten is with the palm of his hand. You should bring a jacket."

"But then I'll just be covered up."

"You're popping out of the top."

I look down at my overflowing cleavage. "That's the point."

"You'll get cold. There's nothing less attractive in a woman than when she's limping around because her shoes hurt her feet or when she's shivering from cold. You don't have to wear it, but bring it just in case."

"But maybe if I get cold, Jake will give me his jacket. It would be romantic," I say dreamily.

Seth gives me a disapproving look, and I concede because Seth is always right. "Fine." I huff and grab my leather jacket out of my closet. At least it'll match my boots.

I do my makeup but don't even try to tame my curls. It's a futile mission, and they'll do whatever the hell they want the second I step outside anyway. "I think I'm ready," I say. "How are we going to get there?"

I look at Seth, and he holds up a set of keys attached to a fuzzy, pink L-shaped keychain.

"Awesome!"

Seth's parents are out of town for the weekend, and his older sister is away at college. She had to leave her car at home though, since the college doesn't allow freshmen to keep their cars on campus, so he snatched her keys out of her room and "borrowed" it for the night. We run down the street to where he's parked it out of sight and hop into the little black Toyota. Soon enough, we're pulling up to the house hosting the party.

I don't see Edward's car anywhere outside, but as we walk in, I still scan the room just to make sure he's not here. While I don't see him, I do see some of his friends. I'll have to do my best to avoid them for the night.

I throw my jacket into a pile of jackets that has accumulated on the floor near the stairs, and Seth and I walk past the living room and into the kitchen where a group is gathered around the keg. I finally see Jake through a window, standing with a group of his friends on the back patio. I grab Seth's arm and point. "Look, there he is. I'm gonna go talk to him."

Seth just shakes his head at me. "You do that, Vane, but if you don't mind, I'm going to stay in here and not watch you make a complete fool of yourself." He kisses my cheek and disappears back into the crowded living room.

So this is it – my moment of truth. I take a deep breath and slide open the glass door that leads outside. There are a couple of girls I know from class sitting around a patio table, and they wave me over. I glance over to where Jake is standing with his friends, the light from the window shining on his long, dark hair as I take a seat at the table.

Not to appear too desperate, I turn my attention back to Jane and Bree, and we all laugh when Bree mentions something about having crashed a senior party.

"What's so funny over here, ladies?"

I feel him standing over me, and when I look up, Jake smiles down at me. Okay, so he's probably actually smiling at my boobs, but that's beside the point.

"Beer?"

"Sure."

He hands me one of the two red, plastic cups he's holding and sits in the chair next to me. "So, having fun tonight, Nessie?"

Bree and Jane laugh, and he shoots them a look. "What?"

"Her name's Vanessa," Jane answers.

Jake looks at me and rolls his eyes. "Whatever."

He leans back in the chair, his long, jean-clad legs extending far out in front of him, and I can't keep my eyes off of him. God, he's like the epitome of male perfection and far larger than most sophomore guys. His pecs protrude underneath his t-shirt, and his biceps peek out from beneath his short sleeves – I just want to run my hands up his arms and squeeze them. And his hair. Not many guys can pull off long hair like his, but he does, and it's just so sexy.

My eyes continue to wander across the different parts of his body, and when they finally get to his face, our eyes meet and he's smirking. Has he been watching me check him out this whole time? I quickly look away and take a huge gulp of my beer. Crap, that's embarrassing.

Jake clears his throat. "Hey, Nessie, can I talk to you for a minute? In private."

Jane and Bree laugh again as Jake continues to call me the wrong name, but I barely notice. My heart is pounding in my chest, and I immediately agree. He grabs hold of my hand, and I want to die right here. He leads me to the side of the house where a stone bench sits overlooking a row of thick pine trees that line the perimeter of the yard. We sit, our legs lie against each other on the small bench, and tingles run throughout my body as we touch.

He reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a crinkled pack of cigarettes. "Smoke?"

"No, thank you."

He pulls one out of the pack, but doesn't light it. Instead, he rolls it around his fingers, studying it intently. "You hang out with that Seth kid, don't you?" he asks.

"Yeah. He's my best friend." Jake's quiet for a moment, and I can't help but wonder if he's jealous of my friendship with Seth. How cute would that be? I've never had anyone be jealous over me before.

"So, he's, I mean, uh…is he…"

I lean in closer to Jake. I want to show him he has nothing to worry about when it comes to Seth, that he and I are just friends, that I'm not even Seth's type. I know that kissing Jake will surely prove it.

"I feel really weird asking you this question. We barely even know each other," he says.

I'm close enough now that all he has to do is turn his head, move in a tad bit closer, and our lips will touch. "It's okay," I whisper, seductively. "You can ask me anything, Jake."

He takes a deep breath and turns his head. Our mouths are so very close now. I close my eyes and pucker my lips. I imagine the touch of his soft lips against mine, and I feel the warmth of his breath as he speaks, his voice low, deep, and tinged with desire.

"Do you think he'd be interested in me?"


End file.
